07/19/2015

This is someone about whom I've written, disputing an English origins article. I believe his origins are still unknown.

1. Edward Winn born say 1598 and died 5 September 1682 at Woburn, Massachusetts. He married first before 1625 Johanna (----) who died at Woburn on 8 March 1649. He married secondly at Woburn on 10 August 1649, Sarah Beal who died at Woburn on 15 March 1679/80. Edward was a carpenter. He left a will in Middlesex Probate (6:111-2, File #25243), which notes him as Edward Winn of Watertown. He had four children: Ann, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Increase.

2. Ann Winn born about 1626, died 6 May 1682 at Woburn, Massachusetts. She married at Woburn on 26 September 1648, Moses Cleveland, baptized 2 February 1621 at Ipswich, England and died 9 January 1701/2 at Woburn, son of Isaac and Alice Cleveland. Moses and Ann had ten children: Moses, Hannah, Aaron, Samuel, Miriam, Joanna, Edward, Josiah, Isaac, and Enoch.

Sources:

The Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families by H.G. and E.J. Cleveland (3 vols., 1899).

07/18/2015

The Rev. John Wilson was the first minister in Boston and easily the second most famous colonial person from whom I descend. But unlike other genealogists who uniformly laud their ancestors, I don't particularly like the Rev. John Wilson. His brand of christianity was devoid of love and tolerance. He hanged Mary Dyer for being a Quaker. He drove out Ann Hutchinson from Massachusetts. He had a very strict puritanical view of the world that didn't allow for compassion. Certainly he would never approve of me.

1. William Wilson of Penrith, Cumberland, England. By an unknown wife, he was the father of:

2. William Wilson (Jr.) born about 1515 in Penrith and died 27 August 1587 at Windsor, England. By an unknown wife, he was the father of:

3. William Wilson (III) born about 1542 and died 15 May 1615 at Windsor, England. He married Isabel Woodhall, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Grindall) Woodhall and niece of Edmund Grindall, the Archbishop of Canterbury. William graduated from Merton College, Oxford University with a B.A. in 1564 and an M.A. in 1570. Later he acquired a D.D. degree in 1607. William was the canon of Windsor from 1583 to 1615. He was the father of:

4. John Wilson born December 1588 at Windsor, England and died 7 August 1667 at Boston, Massachusetts. He married about 1616 Elizabeth Mansfield, born December 1592 on Henley on Thames, England and died 6 June 1660 at Boston, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Elizabeth Mansfield. John Wilson graduated from Christ College at Cambridge University in 1606 with an A.B. and 1609 with M.A. He attended Eton as a secondary school. John came over in the Winthrop Fleet of 1630. John and Elizabeth had four children: Edmund, John, Elizabeth, and Mary.

5. John Wilson (Jr.) was born September 1621 in England and died 23 August 1691 at Medfield, Massachusetts. He married about 1648, Sarah Hooker, born February 1630 at Broomfield, England, died 20 August 1725 at Braintree, Massachusetts, daughter of Thomas and Susannah (Gabrand) Hooker. John was a graduate of Harvard College in 1642 the first graduating class of that institution. He worked first as an assistant to Rev. Richard Mather and then got his own congregation. John and Sarah had eight children: John, Sarah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, John, Thomas, and Susanna.

6. John Wilson (III) was born 8 June 1660 at Medfield, Massachusetts and died 1728 at Braintree, Massachusetts. He married at Braintree on 4 July 1683, his first cousin Sarah Newton, born 24 January 1661/2 at Milford, Connecticut and died 20 August 1725 at Braintree, Massachusetts, daughter of Roger and Mary (Hooker) Newton. John probably attended Harvard College as part of the class of 1682, but did not graduate. He became a physician. John and Sarah had seven children: Sarah, John, Elizabeth, Roger, Edmund, Alice, and Mary.

7. Sarah Wilson was born 1 April 1684 at New Haven, Connecticut and died 11 September 1747 at Braintree, Massachusetts. She married at Braintree on 28 August 1701, John Marsh, born 17 February 1678/9 at Braintree and died there 22 June 1745, son of Alexander and Mary (Belcher) Marsh. John and Sarah had nine children: John, Sarah, Alexander, Alexander, Ambrose, Wilson, Moses, Samuel, and Edmund.

07/17/2015

Like the surname Lawrence, I don't consider the surname Wilson very common. Yet I have three Wilson lines. Go figure.

1. John Wilson was born about 1626 and died 2 July 1687 at Woburn, Massachusetts. He married before 1651, Hannah James, born say 1630 and died about 1698 at Woburn, Massachusetts. She married secondly, Thomas Fuller of Salem, Massachusetts. The notion that John was the son of a Roger Wilson is a fabrication. John and Hannah had ten children: John, Sarah, Dorcas, Samuel, Francis, James, Abigail, Elizabeth, Benjamin, and Hannah.

2. Dorcas Wilson was born 29 January 1657 at Salem, Massachusetts and died 29 November 1714 at Cambridge, Massachusets. She married at Woburn, Massachusetts on 26 September 1675, Aaron Cleveland, born 10 January 1653/4 at Woburn and died there 14 September 1716, son of Moses and Ann (Winn) Cleveland. Aaron and Dorcas had nine children: Dorcas, Aaron, Hannah, Moses, Sarah, Miriam, Isabel, Ann, and Benjamin.

Sources:

The Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families by H.G. and E.J. Cleveland (3 vols., 1899).

Wilsons of New England . . . Volume J: Descendants of John Wilson of Woburn, Massachusetts by Ken Stevens (1991).

07/16/2015

1. Richard Willard was born about 1500 and died in 1558. By an unknown wife, he was the father of:

2. Simon Willard was born about 1534 at Goudhurst, Kent, England and died there February 1584. He married about 1555, Elizabeth (---) who died 12 April 1587 at Horsmonden, Kent, England. They were the parents of:

3. Richard Willard was born about 1564 at Goudhurst, Kent, England and did 20 February 1616/7 at Horsmonden, England. He married about 1598, Margery (---) who died 12 December 1608 at Horsmonden. They were the parents of:

4. Simon Willard born 7 April 1605 at Horsmonden, Kent, England and died 24 April 1676 at Charlestown, Massachusetts. He married first at Marden, Kent on 13 October 1628, Mary Sharpe who died about 1650. Simon married secondly about 1653, Mary (---). She married secondly Joseph Noyes at Sudbury on 14 July 1680 and died there 28 December 1715. There is much speculation and discussion about the second and possible third wives of Simon Willard. Many secondary sources report them to be either the sister or cousin of Henry Dunster, first president of Harvard. However, Robert Charles Anderson, in the Great Migration 1634-5 shows there is little evidence for this and proposes an alternative theory that the second wife of Henry Dunster and the second wife of Simon Willard were sisters themselves. For now, I am agreeing with this theory. Simon Willard was a major presence in colonial government and military affairs during his lifetime. By his first wife he had seven children: Mary, Josiah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Sarah, Abovehope, and Simon. By his second wife he had a further eight children: Mary, Henry, John, Daniel, Joseph, Benjamin, Hannah, and Jonathan.

5. Benjamin Willard was born about 1665 at Lancaster, Massachusetts and died 16 June 1732 at Grafton, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Lakin, born 4 February 1661/2 at Groton, Massachusetts and died 15 March 1740 at Grafton, daughter of John and Mary (Bacon) Lakin. They were the parents of:

6. Margaret Willard born about 1695 and died 25 January 1757 at Grafton, Massachusetts. She married about 1715, Nehemiah Howe, born about 1693 at Sudbury, Massachusetts and died 25 May 1747 at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, son of Samuel and Sarah (Leavitt) Howe. Nehemiah was captured by the Native Americans and brought to Quebec where he wrote a diary (still extant) of his capture. His twelve children are recorded in the Grafton Vital Records: Joshua, Submit, Caleb, Esther, Caleb, Sarah, Samuel, Edward, Abner, Hannah, Mary, and Martha.

07/15/2015

Here's a family whose North American members, I've researched, but whose origins I have not researched. Yet, they are given several generations back in England in the Wickwire Genealogy. So, everything before New London, Connecticut should be taken with a grain of salt.

1. Thomas Wickwire born about 1495 and was buried 21 January 1568 at Calne, England. He married about 1520, Jane (---) who was buried at Calne on 7 October 1559. They were the parents of:

2. John Wickwire, born about 1525 and died 29 March 1582/3 at Calne, Wiltshire, England. He married about 1550, Alice Thornhill, born about 1530 and died 24 November 1588 at Calne, daughter of Thomas Thornhill, Esq. They were the parents of:

3. John Wickwire (Jr.) born about 1555 and died 29 March 1626 at Calne, Wiltshire, England. He married about 1579, Elizabeth (---) who died 9 October 1608 at Calne. They were the parents of:

4. John Wickwire (III) was born August 1588 at Calne, England and died 8 May 1657 at Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England. He married on 20 January 1614 at Calne, Anne Poole. They were the parents of:

5. John Wickwire (IV) was born March 1626 at Calne, England and died 18 July 1657 at Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England. He married about 1649, Mary (---) who died at Wotton-under-Edge 20 October 1699. Under my notes I have listed that the IGI baptismal extraction for this man lists his father as William. Hence be very cautious with the above outlined pedigree. John and Mary were the parents of:

6. John Wickwire (V) was born 18 May 1656 at Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England and died about April 1712 at New London, Connecticut. He married at New London on 6 November 1676, Mary Tonge, born 17 September 1656 at New London, died there 20 October 1699, daughter of George and Margery (---) Tonge. John and Mary had eight children: George, Christopher, John, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Peter, Ann, and Phebe.

7. Peter Wickwire was born 2 March 1694 at New London, Connecticut and died there 21 August 1744. He married at New London on 29 February 1720, Patience Chapell, born 1699 and died after 1741, daughter of John and Sarah (Lewis) Chapell. Peter's will is in New London Probate #5706. Peter and Patience had eleven children: Peter, Sarah, George, James, Eunice, Amy, Joseph, Jeremiah, Samuel, John, and Ezekiel.

8. Peter Wickwire (Jr.) was born 11 March 1724 at New London, Connecticut and died 2 February 1803 at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, Canada. He married about 1747, Rhoda Schofield (Scoville), born about 1724 at Colchester, Connecticut and died 24 September 1802 at Cornwallis, daughter of Arthur and Elizabeth Scoville. Peter and Rhoda had eight children: Rachel, Peter, Asa, Amy, Elizabeth (Betsey), Rhoda, Silas, and Prudence.

9. Prudence Wickwire was born 16 November 1769 at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, Canada, and died 9 August 1851 at Hopewell, New Brunswick, Canada. She married at Cornwallis on 15 April 1787, James Martin, born 18 July 1759 at County Down, Ireland, died Hopewell on 11 February 1842. James was a surveyor. Prudence and James had eleven children: James, Elizabeth, Asa, Sybil, Andrew, Amy, Thomas, William G., Maria, John, Peter Wickwire.

Sources:

Genealogy of the Wickwire Family by A.M. Wickwire (1909).

History of Montville, Connecticut from 1640-1896 by H.A. Baker (1896).

Diary of Joshua Hempstead of New London, Connecticut (New London County Historical Society, New London, 1901, reprint 1985).

History of Kings County, Nova Scotia by Arthur W.H. Eaton (Salem, MA, 1910).

07/14/2015

Jury lists are great records to use for genealogy. They pinpoint the residence of a male. They also show the male to be over 21 years old and not yet dead. These types of records are very useful. The Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, uses these records extensively. Sadly during the colonial period only men were allowed on juries so this doesn't help identifying the ladies at all.

And juries still exist. In fact, I have jury duty today. The last two times I have had jury duty I was selected and served in the jury for a 4-6 week trial. In both cases they were murder trials. I am hopeful that I can't be possibly picked three times in a row, but who knows. When you're retired, there is no hiding the fact that you have free time. So, I'm an ideal candidate. That means waking up at 6 a.m. for a while and no free time during the day to blog. So, we'll see how this all turns out.

At least I served on a Boston jury like my ancestors did nearly 400 years ago. The tradition lives on.

07/13/2015

John Whitney has his own genealogy tome. In it, he is given a royal descent. This royal descent was later disproved by an article in The American Genealogist. Since then, another article tried to figure out the parentage of Thomas Whitney, but it failed. So we begin with all that is known for certain.

1. Thomas Whitney was born about 1550 and was buried at London, England on 20 May 1637. He married at London on 10 May 1583, Mary Bray, baptized 24 December 1564 at Westminster and buried 25 September 1629 at London, daughter of John and Margaret (Haslonde) Bray. Thomas is referred to as a gentlemen in records. He had ten children: Margaret, Thomas, Henry, Arnwaye, John, Nowell, Francis, Mary, Robert and Thomas.

2. John Whitney was baptized 20 July 1592 at Westminster and died 1 June 1673 at Watertown, Massachusetts. He married before 1618, Eleanor (---) who died at Watertown on 11 May 1659. John married secondly on 29 September 1659 at Watertown, Judith (---) Clements, widow of Robert Clements. John was a tailor and arrived in New England in 1635. He had ten children by his first wife: Mary, John, Richard, Nathaniel, Thomas, Margaret, Jonathan, Joshua, Caleb, and Benjamin.

3. Jonathan Whitney was born about 1634 in England and died 1 January 1702/3 at Sherborn, Massachusetts. He married 30 October 1656 at Watertown, Massachusetts, Lydia Jones, born about 1636 and died 3 February 1701/2 at Sherborn, daughter of Lewis and Anna Jones. Jonathan was a member of the General Court for Sherborn in 1694. He had eleven children: Lydia, Jonathan, Anna, John, Josiah, Elinor, James, Isaac, Joseph, Abigail, and Benjamin.

4. John Whitney (II) was born 27 June 1662 at Watertown, Massachusetts and died 1735 at Wrentham, Massachusetts. He married first on 10 April 1688 at Watertown, Mary Hapgood, born 2 November 1667 at Sudbury, Massachusetts, died 13 January 1692/3 at Sherborn, Massachusetts, daughter of Shadrach and Elizabeth (Treadway) Hapgood. John married secondly in 1694 Sarah Haven who died 23 April 1718, daughter of Richard and Susanna Haven. Lastly, John married Mrs. Martha (How) Walker. John was a fuller. By his first wife, John had three children: Mary, Elizabeth, and James. By his second wife he had two more children: Lydia and Hannah.

5. Mary Whitney was born 27 March 1689 at Sherborn, Massachusetts and died 18 April 1753 at Sudbury, Massachusetts. She married at Sudbury on 1 February 1708/9 Daniel Moore, born 13 April 1687 at Sudbury, died there about 1773, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Loker) Moore. Daniel's will is in Middlesex Probate #10898. Daniel and Mary had eight children: Abigail, Mary, Daniel, Hannah, Eunice, Isaac, Israel, and Elizabeth.

Sources:

The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came From London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts in 1635 by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago, 1895).

The American Genealogist 69 (1994):9-14. [another disproval of royal line]

The American Genealogist 10 (1933-34):84-88. [disproval of royal line]

07/12/2015

1. John Whitgift born say 1475 of Yorkshire, England. He had three children: Henry, Robert, and Isabel.

2. Henry Whitgift born about 1505 and died October 1552 at Grimsby, England. He married Anne Dynewell, born say 1510 and died after 1560, daughter of William and Katherine (Fulnetby) Dynewell. The identification of Katherine as a Fulnetby allows the Whitgifts and Fulnetbys to be cousins which contemporary records reflect. Henry and Anne had seven children: John, the Archbishop of Canterbury, William, George, Philip, Richard, Jeffrey, and Alice.

3. William Whitgift born about 1538 and died August 1615 at Clavering, England. He married about 1570, Margaret Bell who died in January 1605. William and Margaret had seven children: John, Isaac, Alice, Alice, Elizabeth, Jane, and Bridget.

4. Elizabeth Whitgift was born about 1574 and died 26 June 1612 at Croyden, Surrey, England. She married first Richard Coles of Leigh, Worcestershire who died in Novmeber 1600. She married secondly Francis Gill of London who died in 1605. She married thirdly, Wymond Bradbury, born 16 May 1574 at Newport Pond, England and died 1650 at Wicken-Bonant, England, son of William and Anne (Eden) Bradbury. Wymond and Elizabeth had four children: Jane, William, Anne and Thomas.

Sources:

The Ancestry of Thomas Bradbury (1611-1695) and His Wife Mary (Perkins) Bradbury (1615-1700) of Salisbury, Massachusetts by John Brooks Threfall (1988).

07/11/2015

Do you subscribe to the Great Migration Newsletter? If not, you should. I've been reading it for over twenty years and it never fails to inform about the critical time period of 1620 to 1640. It just so happens that in the latest issue, out last week, George Wheeler is included as one of the fourteen Wheeler entries that needed to be sorted out in the new Great Migration Directory. You wouldn't think Wheeler was that prominent or common a name, but evidently it was.

1. Thomas Wheeler of Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England was the father of several immigrants to New England, including:

2. George Wheeler, born 23 March 1605/6 at Cranfield, England and died June 1687 at Concord, Massachusetts. He married on 8 June 1630 at Cranfield, Katherine Penn who died at Concord on 2 January 1684/5. George and Katherine had eight children: Thomas, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Mary, Ruth, Hannah and William.

3. Sarah Wheeler born 30 January 1640 at Concord, Massachusetts and died there 12 December 1713. She married at Concord on 26 October 1665 to Francis Dudley, born about 1640 and died after 1702, a possible son of John Dudley. Francis and Sarah had seven children: Mary, Joseph, Samuel, Sarah, John, Benjamin and Francis.

Sources:

Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins by John Brooks Threfall (Madison, WI, 1990).

History of the Dudley Family with Genealogical Tables, Pedigrees, etc. by Dean Dudley (Wakefield, MA 1892).

07/10/2015

1. John Weatherby was born about 1642 probably in England and died in 1711 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He married first on 13 August 1672 at Marlborough, Mary Howe, born 18 January 1653/4 in Sudbury, Massachusetts and died 4 June 1684 in Stow, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Mary Howe. John married secondly on 16 September 1684 at Stow, Lydia Moore, born 6 April 1660 at Lancaster, Massachusetts and died after 1724, daughter of John and Anne (Smith) Moore and granddaughter of John and Elizabeth Moore of Sudbury. By his first wife John had three children: Joseph, John, and Thomas.

2. Thomas Weatherby was born 5 January 1678 at Sudbury, Massachusetts and died 28 January 1713/4 at Marlborough, Massachusetts. He married on 20 February 1698/9 at Marlborough, Hannah Woods, born 4 August 1677 at Marlborough, died 7 September 1751 at Sudbury, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Lydia (Rice ) Woods. Hannah married secondly on 8 August 1716 at Sudbury, Moses Leonard. Thomas and Hannah had five children: Mary, Hannah, Thomas, Silas, and Submit.

3. Mary Weatherby was born 10 June 1700 at Marlborough, Massachusetts and died 18 January 1738/9 at Westborough, Massachusetts. She married Daniel Warren, born 1 September 1689 at Watertown, Massachusetts and died after 1748, son of John and Mary (Browne) Warren. Daniel married first on 26 February 1711 at Watertown, Rebecca Garfield, born 24 September 1683 at Watertown and died 2 October 1720 at Westborough. By his first marriage Daniel had four sons: Daniel, Timothy, Jonas, and Silas. By his marriage to Mary Weatherby he had six more children: Moses, Nahum, Mary, Jonathan, Rebecca, and Submit.